Riyadh, Saudi Arabia—Metal twisted across the desert asphalt after a multi-vehicle pileup blocked the Riyadh-Taif highway. Heavy transport trucks and passenger cars collided amidst sudden blowing sand.
Visibility dropped near zero as a seasonal dust storm swept across the long desert straightaway. Drivers had mere seconds to react to stalled traffic ahead in the blinding haze.
Red Crescent emergency teams dispatched six ambulances and two air rescue helicopters to the scene. Paramedics triaged injured motorists trapped inside crushed vehicle cabins along the shoulder.
Authorities confirmed three individuals dead at the impact site before transport could begin. Multiple other passengers sustained severe trauma and were rushed to regional desert medical centers.
Highway patrol units closed all westbound lanes to allow heavy tow trucks to clear the wreckage. Commuters faced massive traffic delays stretching over fifteen kilometers behind the roadblock.
Transport ministry officials urged motorists to exercise extreme caution during seasonal desert dust storms. Maintenance crews inspected damaged steel guardrails and cleaned debris from the road surface.
Traffic police reopened two lanes to single-file traffic late Sunday evening. Investigators continue gathering electronic event data from surviving commercial trucks to determine primary fault factors.
Published by Banx Network. This article is part of the Banx decentralized media programme, powered by the BXE token on the XRP Ledger.
